Here is a copy of the letter,
Dear [recipient name was inserted here],
I work as a , located in Joseph, OR,
and I am writing to ask you to support me and the others in the state of
Oregon whose livelihoods depend on general aviation, by opposing a new
user fee proposal from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
This measure, entitled the "Next Generation Air Transportation System
Financing Reform Act of 2007," would create a huge, new,
multi-billion-dollar user fee bureaucracy of billing agents, collection
agents, auditors, dispute arbitrators, and others. This is unacceptable
for several reasons:
First, the FAA should be focused on safety rather than revenue collection
for a large, administrative bureaucracy. Don't create an IRS branch at the
FAA and make the Administrator a "tax czar."
Additionally, the FAA's user fee plan would reduce Congressional oversight
of decisions about aviation system priorities. The role of congress, which
is traditionally charged with representing all interests - including
general aviation - would be significantly reduced. We need to keep
Congress as a watchdog.
As if the user fees in the proposal weren't enough, the legislation
imposes a 350-percent tax increase on general aviation over and above the
fees. The general aviation community wants to modernize our air traffic
control system by building on what works, and is in the best interests of
the American public. But, this proposal is bad for the tens of thousands
of small and mid-size businesses, towns and cities across the country that
rely on general aviation. I urge you to oppose this bill and support a
legislative proposal which does not contain user fees in any form.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter, and for your service to
our state.
Sincerely,